


Supernatural

by YouAreMyHappilyEverAfter



Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Hunters & Hunting, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Multi, Past Rape/Non-con, Polyamory, Supernatural Elements, Werewolf Turning, Werewolves, Witches
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-09
Updated: 2019-07-16
Packaged: 2019-10-24 21:56:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17712329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YouAreMyHappilyEverAfter/pseuds/YouAreMyHappilyEverAfter
Summary: Randy Beaumont is a bail enforcement agent or, as he’s more commonly known, a bounty hunter. While his home will always be in France, America has quite the job market for bounty hunters - whether that work be from the law itself or outsides parties.His latest job takes him to Amity Park, a sleepy little town that’s more odd than dangerous, as proven when he finds out his target is a sweet, clumsy guy, a man involved with his target’s life seems to be in close contact with the police, and he runs into his childhood friend who he hasn’t seen since they were both children - all within one day.Oddities add up, however, when he’s warned to leave before the night of the full moon. While his first mistake came in not listening, his next mistake came in the form of the Big Bad Wolf.Now Randy is thrust into a world of werewolves, witches, and ghosts as he struggles to understand this new world while dealing with an alpha werewolf, his childhood friend who is a witch, and a teenager who runs around as a ghostly superhero.Randy never was very good at turning away from something interesting.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> **A/N:** Welcome to our not-so-new AU, something we lovingly call SPN AU. We never could decide on a "real" title, so Supernatural seemed to fit just fine. Despite what the pairing says, this is going to eventually be a four-way fic, between Danny, "Ghost Writer" and two OCs. ~Kas
> 
> Look... We've re-written this six times? Seven? It's been through so many changes. If we don't post it now, it'll never be seen. We're just little gays who like magic. Please enjoy this wild adventure and know that it took... three years? Four? I don't know, but it's been fun! - Kit

There were three things that Randy Beaumont knew for certain about American police stations. The first was that they were overcrowded with posturing thugs, screaming babies, and yelling adults. The second was that help was impossible to find - whether that be due to staffing problems or  _staffing_ problems. The third, he had discovered quickly, was that it was  _impossible_ to fill out any kind of sensible paperwork when the entire building was full of screaming children - and he was including the adults in that one. It all made Randy groan inwardly. French stations hadn't been too much better, but that was it. They were better. And there were far less people being held while under the influence of this or that new street drug. It was exhausting, mostly. He already had to deal with these kinds of people while he was tracking them down, but he hated having to go through the police for some of these jobs. That was why he liked to be on his own.

Speaking of… Pausing in his hopeless paperwork, Randy dug through his pockets until he pulled out a ringing phone and saw a blocked number flashing on his screen. In his line of work  _that_ was a very good sign. This could be good.

"Randall Beaumont, how may I help you?"

" _Randall Beaumont. Can I call you Randy? This is Jacob Richards. I run one of our branches of Ironmonger Corporations here over in Amity Park, Illinois._ " Ironmonger? A weapons-selling company, and weapons-making. Very above board. Interesting. " _We have a small problem over here, and it wouldn't do well to put one of our own men in the line of fire, so to speak, if something happens. Is two enough to get you to come up and here me out?_ "

"Good afternoon, Mr. Richards," Randy said pleasantly, unable to at least be a little curious. Ironmonger was a name Randy had heard of even when he had still lived in France. As per the American way, they had made quite in industry in firearms. They were also notorious for having a shining clean record. "It might be, but that depends on what I would be helping you out with."

" _Information retrieval. Believe it or not, but we have a… A rival up-and-comer that had one of his little minions steal some very important information from us. I'm afraid I can't tell you much more without you coming down to the office._ "

"Is this a negotiable price that you've set down, Mr. Richards?"

" _That's what you'll get for coming up and hearing me out and keeping us in mind if you say no._ " Oh. Oh, Randy liked this one already.

"I'll be there tomorrow afternoon."

" _Glad to hear it. Though, if you don't mind my saying, I think we'll make you an offer you can't refuse._ "

"We'll just have to see." With that, Randy hung up and looked back down to the paperwork he had been doing before pulling a face. Right. He had to finish this mess up, first. Ah, Americans. Good business, at least.

It took longer than he would have liked, but soon enough and Randy was packed up and on the first flight over to Amity Park, Illinois. What little research he could pull up showed that the town was just another small town among thousands, nothing immediately jumping out at him. It was something Randy didn't like. Small towns were almost always hiding something, and nothing out of the ordinary meant everything was a threat. He had learned that the hard way, already.

A few hours after landing and Randy had a motel room for the night, his bags tucked away, and his best outfit on as he walked into the right building. Nothing seemed suspicious, but that in of itself could be suspicious. The front desk, at least, seemed to be expecting him. "Randall Beaumont here to see Jacob Richards." The receptionist looked up at him, and seemed to be bored out of his mind. He looked at his computer and tapped in a couple things.

"Top floor, end of the hall." Giving a small nod that probably wasn't even noticed, Randy headed towards the elevator and hit the button for the top floor before crossing his arms. He didn't have a good feeling about being here. It felt like he was being watched too closely. It felt like… No, no, he wasn't going to think about that night. Not here. It wasn't going to be like that, again, he told himself firmly.

He needed to focus. He was here for work, after all, and as a Beaumont he had a reputation to uphold. Jacob Richards was willing to pay two grand just to talk to him, so whatever job he had was sure to be well paid. The elevator doors opened in the middle to let a few people in, then to let people out, then in, then out. Seemed he was the only one going all the way up. When he reached the top level, he stepped off and couldn't help but to roll his eyes. Down the hall, alright. That wasn't dramatic or anything.

Keeping his pace even and his back perfectly straight, Randy let his eyes slide from wall to wall. If a fight went down then the only way out would be the elevator. Or whatever windows were in his office, but he'd really rather avoid that option. He liked his bones intact. The doors of the office were open but at least he wasn't stupid enough to put his desk right in the line of eyesight of anyone on the elevator or walking the hall.

Jacob Richards had been at this a while, then. Drawing to a stop in the doorway, Randy rapped on the edge of the frame. "Good afternoon, Mr. Richards. I believe you wanted to meet with me about a job?"

"Randy, come on in. No need to be so formal, please, it's Jacob, or Richards if you prefer. Happy to see you're interested." Hm, he remained seated, though. Not overly friendly, then. Smart.

"You have a way with words it seems, Jacob." There was a touch of an American southern accent to his words - no doubt the cause of his 'friendly' behavior, as well. "What exactly is it that I've found myself interested in?"

"I've told you a bit already. This man, Markus Greenwood. Managed to sneak into our place and steal all sorts of company secrets, you know. We know he still has the information on him on a flash drive, and we know he plans to pass it on to his higher-up, Novan Hale, the morning of the fifth. We're proposing you retrieve this information for us the evening of the fourth. I'd like that info in my hand no later than nine a.m.."

"You mentioned that it wouldn't be a good idea to put one of your own in the line of fire. Unless I'm missing something, you have everything you need to turn this into a court case and push for both repercussions and the return of your information."

"I do mean in the line of fire of the media, of course. I'd like for this all to be taken care of quietly. If it were to get out that someone walked right in and took such valuable information… Well, you see the spot we're in. My bosses wouldn't be pleased."

"Of course." Richards was lying about some part of it, but Randy couldn't figure out exactly which part it was. "I understand the need for discretion, after all. You can guarantee that Markus Greenwood will have the information on the evening of the fourth?"

"I can. He already knows he's on our trail, and he thinks that the safest night for him will be the fourth. Every month he and his buddies have a get together, but you'll probably do best if you catch him just after work."

"I'll keep that in mind," Randy said, letting his smile widen. "Now, I believe all that's left is to work out a price."

"Well, how does twenty five sound? If you make sure to 'hurt him' I'll do forty."

"I take it you didn't appreciate your information being stolen so easily." Randy raised his eyebrows because that was quite a jump just to get some hits in on the guy. "Define hurt."

"Kill him and it's fifty, but if you leave him banged up as a nice little warning to Hale, that's forty." Ah, so there was the darkside, then. Randy gave a small nod, tilting his head in 'thought.'

"I'll keep that in mind. If you can guarantee twenty five for completion, then I'll certainly be sure to keep your extra incentive in mind when I finally meet Mark."

"Consider it done. There is one more thing, too. We've been watching you, Beaumont. We're a big company, word gets around. We like you. You get this done for us, we could have a few more jobs for you."

"Oh?" That was certainly… something. Randy had been doing this job for a few years, now, and very,  _very_ rarely did a company want to hire him out for more than one job. "Thank you for the consideration. I'll be sure to impress."

"Please do, and thank you, Randy. Sorry to cut it short, but I've got stocks to play, you know how it is."

"Of course." Randy stood up with a smile and noticed that, yet again, Richards didn't bother to stand himself. He probably had half his clientele charmed with his 'southern nature' while hiding his ruthlessness. "I'll be sure to return promptly."

First and foremost, Randy needed to research Markus Greenwood.

::

Randy wasn't sure whether to be relieved or disappointed that the guy had an open social media profile that seemed to spill his entire life story. American in general, it seemed, were just stupid. Lived and grew up in New York, did some traveling when he was younger, had an accident around Amity Park and stayed there to this day. He liked to go out with his friends on Saturday nights, he was single, he worked at the ranger station. Open and shut, nothing that would place him as some henchmen of a mastermind rival.

Randy didn't like it. He  _hated_ it. There was something wrong about all of this - like there was one last step that he was missing. Mark Greenwood had his life story splashed across social media and he most certainly didn't seem the type to break into a corporation like Ironmongers. He didn't even look or seem like he had the skill to do something like that. And this Novan Hale, when looked into, wasn't any better. He was a few years into a relationship with his high school sweetheart, didn't seem to have a job, grew up in a well-off family, and was only ever seen at the station when escorting people in or out.

Novan Hale seemed to have a few more obvious secrets, but Mark Greenwood seemed to be the threat in this mission. His profile was too clean and at least Novan's seemed to cause a bit of confusion. Randy might need to look into both of them. What was the connection beyond just being friends? Richards had said higher up, but they didn't seem to work together, so what could that mean? That he was older?

Well, in the end, social media could only get him so far. Standing up and looking around his motel room, Randy finally made his way to one of his bags. It seemed like it was time to take a walk around town.


	2. Chapter 2

Amity Park could best be described as a sleepy town, it seemed. There didn't seem to be any rush beyond people trying to get to work and everything just seemed slow. It was as if everyone knew they could go at their own pace and didn't want to bother trying to go any faster. Ugh. Randy hated small towns. Even as he walked through, he felt  _something._  Like there was some underlying current of energy and spirit to this town, but he didn't even know what that began to mean, let alone how to decipher it and figure out the obscurities of this little town. For right now, he just needed to try to get information on his target, which was easier said than done.

He could at least stop by the police station, first. If nothing else he could make sure all his certificates to open carry his guns were up to date and, if needed, he could try to get some information on Novan Hale and Mark Greenwood. He didn't have high hopes for that one, but it might at least help. At least the police station was relatively easy to find, but he didn't like how most of the people in this town seemed to be looking at him with distrust, as though they expected him at any minute to just start shooting.

It was sometimes like this in other towns, but there was never this many glares that came from it. Maybe they had a problem with gun control specifically in this town? If it was a recent shooting, Randy might have to rely on hand-to-hand until the night of his job. Randy just opened the door of the police station when a man on the other side had his hand out, ready to do the exact same- Ah. Novan Hale, but he wasn't looking at Randy. He was looking over his shoulder, his own arm around the shoulders of a man around their age. "Thanks, hun! I'm sure I'll be in tomorrow, though, you know how it is." In tomorrow? Was he the sheriff?

Seeing the man's gaze was now on him, Randy took a few steps back. "Sorry, wasn't really paying attention when I went to open the door." Well, this was certainly a bout of luck.

"Oh, yeah, sorry about that, go ahead." Hm. Certainly didn't seem like some cocky upstart rival. Slipping around him, Randy gave Novan a quick look over. Besides the man around his shoulders that looked completely smashed, he seemed average enough. A bit of a fighter's build, but nothing trained, it seemed. "New in town? I think I'd recognize hair like that, if I'd seen it, before."

"That obvious, huh?" Randy laughed, giving a scratch to the back of his head to make it look like he was nervous. "Sort of new, yeah. I've been here for a few days, but I'm only just now getting settled."

"Novan Hale. Nice to meet you. You staying long?" Right. Novan had probably already seen his guns or, barring that, people in the station had.

"Maybe. An old informant of mine told me this place is pretty good for bounty hunters," Randy grinned, trying to give off the vibe of friendly and talkative. "I was coming down to the station to actually see if there was any work I could start right away."

Just like that, Novan's friendly demeanor was gone. "...I see." He didn't say much else, only ushering his friend out to the parking lot.

"Right, then." So much for the town being 'friendly.' So far, Randy had encountered nothing except glares and distrust. So then. Novan Hale had some sort of arrangement with the police? A bounty hunter not wanting someone else on his territory? Randy had run across a couple before.

It could explain why Mark Greenwood was working for him. They could be bounty hunters teaming up for some rival company or they could be working through an organization themselves. That didn't seem quite right, though. If they were bounty hunters then Randy was sure Richards would have at least made an offhand comment about it. Well… He had said he didn't want one of his own 'in the line of fire.' Maybe he meant it literally. At least that made this a fun job, but damn did Randy hate not getting all the information at the beginning. It always made it harder.

It took longer than it should have to talk to the police and work everything out. It seemed as soon as they heard he was a bounty hunter they shut down completely and hardly wanted to work with him. Maybe this town had its own cluster of bounty hunters? It was rare, but it had happened before. Jeez, now Randy would definitely need to get some temporary disguises. At least the white hair made it easier, but he hated having to dye it again after going through two or more disguises, it always liked to fade back to his natural auburn.

Making a quick stop to lock up his guns in the motel room safe he was given, Randy headed back into town and dropped by the nearest convenience store. Even without his guns he was getting some odd or dirty looks. Hm.

"Excuse me," Randy put on a shy, nervous smile as he spoke to the closest worker. "Could you tell me what aisle has your hair dye? I'm afraid my roots might be starting to show, again."

"It's just down personal care, aisle four," she told him, even as she gave him the side-eye. Randy nodded his thanks and made a personal note to himself to  _never_ work in a small town again.

"-heard he was a hunter-" The whispered words were there and gone along with two people who had quickly turned the corner when Randy passed them. Considering how everyone was acting, Randy assumed that they were talking about him. He was surprised so many ordinary people were so cautious around a bounty hunter. Didn't most people like the whole vigilante type? His father told him plenty of women had fallen for him for that exact reason.

Then again, his father did tend to exaggerate from time to time. Sighing to himself and grabbing a couple different colors, Randy sidetracked towards the reading glasses and sunglasses, as well as the limited section of hats. It looked like he would be switching identities a lot in the next few days. Hm… Which ones hadn't he used in a while… He could be Dustin, but he was rather fond of Derek. Maybe Alex?

Well, for now he could start with Derek and work through the others if he needed to. Hopefully he wouldn't - he didn't want to risk using so many covers in one small town, but he might need to the way things were shaping up. He didn't like all of this. There was something he was missing and in a town like this it should be easy to find, but whatever it was was too well hidden. He didn't like this one bit.

Grabbing a few more things it felt like torture to just get out of the store, Randy noticing more stares and whispers the longer he stayed. Right. Disguise first and then he could take a proper look around town and see if he couldn't find out where Mark Greenwood was, next. Randy had a feeling Novan might have already contacted him about there being a bounty hunter in town. Well, that just made the chase more fun.

Alright, Greenwood worked at the ranger station, so local parks and campgrounds sounded as good a place as any to start with.

::

Finding the local parks and campgrounds was easier said than done when Randy's GPS didn't want to work in this town and everyone seemed cautious and hesitant the second he approached them. People were too reliant on technology these days, Randy mused, if he couldn't even begin to find his way once his GPS went down. There was a little shack, though, next to the forest. That must have been it. He looked around, stepping inside. "Hey there, anyway we can help you out today?"

"Yeah, actually. I moved down here a couple weeks ago and I only just now got settled. Do you have any maps of the hiking trails around here?"

Markus. Perfect. He looked around under the desk, then next to his computer. "Yeah, sure do. We out outside, again? They're around here… Somewhere…" Really? This was the mastermind that snuck into Ironmonger?

"Take your time, I'm not in much of a rush, today." Randy wandered around the little room, keeping an eye on Mark. He didn't seem to be some type of mastermind, that was certain.

"You know what? I think I've got more in the back room, I'll be right back, lemme just double check-" He tripped over something behind the desk and stumbled his way into the back room. There was no way this was the same person. He must have gotten the wrong Mark Greenwood.

Pulling up his phone, Randy quickly looked through all the Mark Greenwoods in Amity Park. There was only one. Looking back up, Randy gave a slow exhale. Right. Maybe Mark leaned towards a more technical aspect. The information was on a flash drive, after all. But then that didn't explain this little do-nothing outdoorsy job. So few people that were technically inclined like to be in the outdoors.

There was a lot that Randy wasn't understanding, here. Ah, another crashing sound. "Are you alright?"

"Yep- Fine!" Mark came back out and smiled at him, looking curious. "If you don't mind my asking, where you from?"

Randy's instincts clawed at him and he was telling pieces of the truth before he could stop himself, "Oh, well, I grew up in France, but I came to America a few years ago after a bit of… drama. I've been on the move for a while now." His instincts had never led him wrong before.

Mark nodded. "Oh, yeah, that makes sense. I heard things over there were getting worse. Well, I hope you find somewhere to settle in, soon. I don't think I'd be able to do that for long." That feeling of a missed step surrounded him again and Randy only smiled as he accepted the maps.

"Thanks. I'm not sure how it is now where I've been gone so long, but I've been doing alright for myself. Oh, right, any trails you recommend?"

"Oh, yeah." Mark leaned over to open up one of the maps. "I like to travel the hawk path. It's a bit ambitious, but it's good when you need some time to think."

Eying the trail, Randy gave a little hum. "That… actually does look like a good trail." It had been a while since he had done any proper running, so if there was time after his job, well. Randy had a feeling he'd only just be getting the twenty-five grand for this job. "Thanks. Maybe I'll see you around again while I'm here."

"Hey, yeah, you staying for the moon?" Moon? What did that mean? That was definitely a code. Shit. Mark thought he was part of something and Randy didn't know what.  _Fuck_ , Randy hated when he pulled off a disguise too well - because of problems like this!

"I might," Randy gave an apologetic smile. "I'm not quite sure yet. I'm still settling in and everything's been pretty busy."

"Well, hey, I'm sure Novan won't argue one more in the pack for one moon." Mark smiled at him. "Hope we can see you there."

"I'll do my best." Novan? Pack? What in the absolute hells was going on? "Thanks again for the trail maps."

Leaving the building quietly, Randy let himself walk for about half a mile before he rubbed at his face and groaned. Of course Mark had to go and be  _nice_. Now Randy felt  _bad_  that he probably was going to be stealing from him at the least and turning him into police at most for stealing. He'd see how things went.

For now, at least, he could do one last lap around downtown and see if he couldn't get anymore information about those two.

* * *

Well, it wasn't what Randy expected, but it was interesting they had a herb shop in the middle of downtown. And nice crystals as well, among other things. He always did like to carry a few stones around, the ones that felt especially nice.

He was picking his way through some of the quartz crystals when something - a feeling or an instinct - had him snapping his head up to see a man around his age looking at some dried herbs. He wasn't especially interesting with ruffled black hair and green eyes hidden behind some frames, and in fact he would have blended into any crowd were it not for the cat around his shoulders, but something… Couldn't be. Could it? Maybe…

"Excusez-moi, vous parlez français?"

"Oui, je parle français, pourquoi?" The man answered slowly, giving Randy a strange look and looking over him.

Randy couldn't stop his laughter because the moment he met those eyes he  _knew_. "Mother would be horrified if she ever saw what you've done to your hair, mon petit."

Andrew Claude Riter stared at him for only a moment before dropping the small herb bag he held and throwing his arms around his shoulders. "Randy! I can't believe it, what are you doing here?!"

Randy laughed, holding Andrew back just as tightly and pressing his face against the younger's shoulder. It had been so  _long_. "I think I should ask that of you! I didn't know you lived in Amity Park."

"My mother and I have lived here ever since we moved from France. But what are  _you_  doing in America? You're supposed to still be in France!"

"Yeah, I guess so." Supposed to be… Shaking his head, Randy hugged Andrew a bit more tightly before loosening his grip. "I've been in America the last few years , spreading the family name and all- Oh." The cat on Andrew's shoulders was now looking directly into his eyes. It was a little… unsettling… "Is that Vidya?"

"It is yes." Andrew smiled, looking at Vidya and smiling brightly. "I just can't believe you're in Amity Park of all places."

"I think that should be my line," Randy laughed, shaking his head. "I can't believe you even  _remembered_ me." Andrew Riter had been his closest friend when they were children, but that had been so long ago.

"Of course I did, how could I forget you?" Andrew looked around before leaning close and 'whispering' to him, "I still cringe whenever I see orange." Randy choked on laughter, quickly burying his face against Andrew's shoulder.

"I wouldn't blame you," Randy finally managed out through his laughter, letting Andrew go to pick up the dropped herb bag and press it back into his hands. "You always were taken with plants."

Andrew took the bag back. "Oh- Thank you, but I still need to pay for these. What are you doing in here?"

"Well, I  _was_ just looking at the crystals," Randy laughed, pointing towards the stand he was at. "But then I saw you."

"Sorry, sorry, I just… I guess I never thought you knew about all of this." It seemed like there were missed steps all over the place, today. The question was, now, what on earth  _Andrew_ was talking about. Maybe he meant the herbs?

"Oh, well, I use herbs in my own work a lot." Andrew had probably meant the herbs, which Randy did use when making some of his tranquilizer bullets.

Andrew's eyes opened wide. "Oh! So… What sort of work are you in, then? I can't think of anything that requires herbs  _and_  crystals."

"Oh, uh, it's- Well." Randy cleared his throat, trying to remember if Andrew had ever learned of just what some of the Beaumont business consisted of. "I took after my father's line of work hence why I use the herbs. The crystals more… Well." Thinking about it, Randy gave a little back and forth tilt of his head. "They balance me, I suppose, and help me focus sometimes."

"Your… Hang on, your father?" Now Andrew was frowning at him, and looking confused, Vidya looking close to leaping at Randy.

"It's a bit complicated to explain," Randy smiled apologetically. "Mama wanted me to go in her line of work, but I thought it was more suited to Felicity."

"Her line of work? But- Well, you learned violin."

"You remember that?" Randy couldn't stop his grin. "That was so long ago… It's been years since I've had time to play."

"Oh, I understand what you mean. I haven't played piano for… Well. For a few years."

"That's a shame," Randy frowned. "Your songs used to always be so beautiful."

Andrew gave a shake of his head. "Oh, no, they were… They weren't that great- Is that the time? I'm sorry, Randy, I really have to pay for these, I have a potion brewing- But we'll have to talk again if you're staying in town a little longer!"

"I had planned to be here until the fifth, at least, but I might push it a few more days." Randy glanced to Vidya, giving her a small smile as he looked back to Andrew. "Exchange numbers?"

"Oh, yes, sure, here let me just-" Andrew took a pen out from behind his ear- How was he hiding it there? He moved over and scribbled his number messily on Randy's hand. "There. I really have to go. Text- Call- Fax me!"

"Fax?" Randy barely got the question out before Andrew was rushing off, Randy shaking his head. That kid continued to be as confusing as possible, it seemed. It was cute. Now, he just needed to pay for these. Maybe he should give his mother a call. She'd be pleased as anything to learn that he ran into little Andrew.

Making sure to transfer the number into his phone, Randy smiled as he picked out a few more crystals. Being in Amity Park was shaping up to be pretty interesting.

Stuffing the little stones into his pocket after he paid, Randy fished out his phone with a smile and dialed the number he knew by heart. It hardly took even a few seconds before the phone was being picked up, "Bonjour, Mama."

" _Randy my little darling! So nice to hear from you, dear. How are you?_ " Laughing, Randy let himself keep in French as he walked back towards his motel.

"I'm good, Mama. I'm in Amity Park for a job and you won't believe who I ran into, today."

" _Oh, darling? Who did you… Did you say Amity Park?_ " She didn't sound happy… She actually sounded… Scared? No, his mother had no reason to be scared.

"Have you heard of it?" Randy frowned. That was a little odd, but he was sure it was nothing to worry about. "I'll only be here for a few days, but I met Andrew Riter!"

" _Oh… Yes, I suppose you would. I've kept in contact with Sylvia, and she's told me the city they lived in._ "

"That just shows I need to call you more so I don't get taken by surprise again," Randy laughed, trying not to let it be heard in his voice how worried he was now. His mother sounded… odd. Worried, maybe? "How is everyone?"

" _They're fine, your father is fine, your sister is wonderful as always. Are you… leaving Amity Park soon?_ "

"I think so. Small towns can be… odd," Randy finally said, shaking his head. "I'll probably only stay long enough to finish this job and then leave."

" _Good, good… I know you don't like to stay in one place long, darling. Tell me. How are you?_ "

"I'm as well as can be expected, Mama, like always."

" _Oh, come now, dear, there must be more than that. How is little Andrew dear?_ "

"He seemed well as far as I could tell. We didn't need to talk much before he had to run off, but he did have Vidya with him, still!" Randy couldn't decide whether to laugh or sigh. "That cat must be so old, by now."

" _Ah, yes… He has Vidya, now? I am a bit surprised that she's with him, I suppose I would have thought he'd get his own…_ "

"I'm not too surprised, Andrew was always attached to Vidya when he was younger, although I wouldn't be surprised if he has another few cats wherever he lives. He seems like the type."

It sounded like she chuckled slightly. " _Mm, he does, doesn't he? Randall. I need you to promise me something._ "

"I… can try." His mother had never made him promise something he couldn't follow through, but, well. She was acting oddly, today.

" _Please, leave Amity Park before the evening of the fourth._ " Oh… He did so hate to lie to her. Still, there was little choice, when it came down to it.

"You worry so much, Mama," Randy chuckled. "I promise I'll leave Amity Park and everything will be fine." That, at least, was a promise he could keep.

" _Thank you, love. That does help this old woman's heart feel better._ " Old woman? She wasn't even fifty yet.

"Mm. I'll call you back when I can, Mama. Make sure to hug Felicity for me and tell Dad to stop taking such stupid risks."

" _I will, darling. I love you with all my heart._ "

"I love you too, Mama. I'll talk to you again soon. Bye."

" _Good night, dear._ "

Ending the call, Randy tucked his phone away and gave a sigh. He hated lying to his mother in anyway, but he didn't want her to have to worry about him. Besides, this was just a small town that he'd be in and out of. There was nothing  _to_ worry about. Just… Get the information and get the hell out. He didn't like the feeling this town gave him.


	3. Chapter 3

Since this job was focused on one person, Randy had decided to go running on the trail Mark had told him about to try and find out more information about the man - or at least try to observe him when he could. Instead, though, he was now looking at a giant house built on the middle of what seemed to be a campground. It looked about three stories tall with a nice deck, but it was in the middle of… Of a few smaller looking houses. This was incredibly odd. Maybe this used to be a campground then it got renovated? Wait a second… Was that Hale?

Ah, and Hale was staring right back at him and now walking towards him. Ha. Right, okay, Randy was absolutely not prepared for this one. Okay. His hair color was different and he was wearing his glasses, so he could probably use a different alias and be okay. "Can I  _help_  you? Mind if I ask what you're doing staring at my house?" Right. Okay. He recognized him and he wasn't happy to see him.

"Jeez, what's with the aggression?" Randy raised his hands peacefully and okay… friendly bounty hunter. Right. "I was just exploring the hiking trails."

"What's with the disguise? Who do you think you're fooling?" What was with all the posturing? It was like he expected Randy to try something.

"Whoa, whoa, what did I ever do to you?" Because as far as Randy knew, he hadn't done anything to Novan. Yet. "I think I mentioned I was a bounty hunter? I change my hair color pretty often for some jobs and I guess I was just sick of the white, too. And I was staring at your house because I didn't expect to find a giant house in the middle of the woods when I was running."

"Yeah, sure. I know your kind. It probably won't do shit, but for everyone's sake, I'll say it once. You stay the fuck away from us, or you'll see why Richards thinks I'm such a big problem." Oh. Oh, this was much more dangerous than Randy thought. Fuck.

"Look, I don't mean you or anyone you know any harm, okay?" That, at least, was truth. Mark was nice and Randy just wanted the flash drive and he would be on his way. "And I don't think you can say you know me when you've only spoken to me once."

"Yeah, sure. And tell Richards to send someone with more of a spine, alright? If he wants my pelt so bad, he's gonna have to work for it."

"Jesus." Randy really couldn't help himself as he took a few startled steps back. His instincts were screaming to put up a fight and challenge back, but… they were also screaming to just step back and step down. "I- Don't worry. I'll be gone soon." Richards and Novan Hale seemed to be  _crazy_.

"Good. If you're smart, you'll get out of Richards claws. Before you get caught in ours." Right. Message received loud and clear. Randy couldn't wait until he got that information and got out.

His run ended sooner than he wanted, but Randy wasn't willing to try and find Mark when Novan seemed to be on the prowl. Instead he detoured back into town, idly observing the people and buildings - quite a few paused to glare at him, which, yeah. Jeez. News traveled fast, and apparently Richards must not have been a popular name in this town. What had some company manager done to deserve that kind of hate from an entire town? There was so much more to this story that he just didn't know.

He still had another day until the fourth, so maybe he should do some research on Richards instead of Mark.

Randy had hit the library for anything he could find. Newspaper articles, fliers for business events, not even a single high school picture! Everything about him was spotless, he hardly left a trace. He didn't like it. There was no reason not to have a trace unless there was something to hide.

Richards didn't seem to always be in Amity Park, so Randy tried tracing the company's origins, instead. It seemed Ironmongers had been around for quite a while, but they had just… sprung up out of nowhere. Started as a little family owned business then in about the span of a few years or so they were nationwide with people everywhere. Like a disease.

There was nothing, though. No rumors, no drama, no black spots, no  _anything_ that could lead to a negative opinion. It was like the absence of something so obvious it left the entire world feeling unbalanced. Randy didn't like it. His instincts were screaming at him that something about Richards was  _wrong_. Just… Just one more night in this town, then he was out of here. He just needed to get the information from Mark tomorrow evening, then he'd get as far away from here as possible. Hawaii. He'd go on a vacation.

Actually, Hawaii sounded great. There was a bounty hunter who worked there more often than not and he could let Randy know about any jobs in the area… Yes. He'd finish this job and then take a vacation for a month at the very least.

Just one more day.

::

It was only Randy's quick reflexes that had him grabbing the hands of the man he had been about to knock to the ground- Oh. "Since when were you a runner?"

"Oh! Randy, you're still here! That's nice- I'm not, normally, the mood just… Struck me, I suppose," he told him with a wide grin. "But running is overrated."

"Of course it is," Randy laughed, helping Andrew get his balance back before letting go of him. "Actually, I wanted to ask you something."

"Ask?  _Me_  something? Sure! Anything! I'm an open book- It's a metaphor, I'm not literally open, nor am I a book-"

"You haven't changed a bit," Randy said quietly, unable to help his smile. Andrew was still the same kid who rambled when he was excited. "I should be done with work after tomorrow morning, so I was wondering if you would want to grab coffee with me tomorrow afternoon."

"Tomorrow afternoon- Yes. Perfect. Tomorrow afternoon sounds perfect, I know the best place, too, you can text me - I still don't have your number - and I can send you the place and I promise now that I didn't seek it out on my own, but it really is a nice place-"

Randy was really doing his best not to laugh, but Andrew was just so  _cute_. Taking his phone out, Randy quickly sent a smiling emoji to the number he already had saved, laughing when he heard Andrew's pocket buzz. "There you go. You can text me the address and I'll meet you there around… one? I have a feeling you still don't like mornings."

" _Well,_  your feeling would be correct," Andrew laughed as though Randy told some hilarious joke. "One sounds perfect."

"I'll let you get back to your run, then." Andrew was just a bundle of energy, today, and Randy wasn't quite sure how to deal with that.

He seemed startled, but nodded. "Right, right- I should go."

"Don't worry," Randy said, voice quiet again as he was unable to help himself from leaning forward to brush some hair out of Andrew's forehead. "I'll see you again soon." Andrew was for once silent, staring up at Randy with wide eyes as his cheeks went red. He really was adorable, and far too sweet. "Enjoy your run, Andy."

"Right," Andrew said quietly. "Thanks." Randy gave him one last smile before continuing on his way. He had a few last minute things to get ready for, tonight, but he at least knew the time the ranger station closed and, thanks to the wonder of social media, knew what time Mark would be getting off work. It was the perfect time to intercept him. To get himself ready, Randy headed back to his motel room for the afternoon. He would need some time, especially if Hale was going to be a problem, tonight. But hell, did he want to find out what the deal was between him and Richards.

There was no way to get more information about Richards without tipping him off, but Novan might be willing to let slip a few things - although not if he knew Randy's job was to steal back stolen information. No matter how it ended, though, Randy would be at Richards' tomorrow morning and then the afternoon he would be having coffee with Andrew and then he had a bus ticket to Chicago for the sixth. Hawaii was sounding nicer and nicer by the minute. He needed a break. He would send his family probably ten from this one and then he would take the rest for himself and head out there for a week or two.

That would have to wait for now, though, because the sun was starting to drop and Randy had a job to do. Maybe he could find a way to make this fun, even.

He timed it all rather well, in his opinion. He left his motel about half an hour before Mark was scheduled to be off, and he should have had enough time to make it to the ranger station to catch him closing it up. That was, until an average-looking teenager stopped him. "Hi there."

"Oh, uh, hi?" Randy sidestepped the teen to avoid running into him, a little off balance. "Sorry, I'm in a bit of a rush."

"Yeah, sorry, I totally get it- Hey, how would you define a ghost?"

"I- What?" Randy looked at the kid, frowning. He looked physically young, but the way he carried himself made Randy think he was a late bloomer more than anything. Right. Answer the question so he'd leave and then  _Randy_ could leave. "It… depends, I suppose. Most movies seem to believe it's an imprint of living energy, but I'm rather certain there are studies into ghosts being made of 'spectral' energy, which, sadly, I don't know much about."

"It's not  _spectral_  energy, it's ecto energy- Okay, so do all ghosts have to have been living first then?" The kid was smiling, but everything in Randy was telling him to run very far away, but it was a  _kid_.

"Ecto?" The word was unfamiliar in his mouth, but Randy shook it off. "I really am in a hurry, but, um, I… would assume. Ghosts by definition are the spirits of human beings."

"So are ghosts and spirits the same thing, then?"

"I- Those words are interchangable, aren't they?" Randy sidestepped around the teen quickly, a bit more wary. "Apologies if I seem rude, but I really do need to get going." His window was closing.

The teen stepped back in front of him again. "If theoretically they're two different things, what would the definition of a spirit be?"

"I wouldn't know." Instincts were clawing at him and Randy narrowed his eyes down at the teen in front of him. "You're in my way."

"Then move me." Before Randy could - because he very much was about to do something stupid - another teenager was running up, grabbing the other teen by the arm, and pulling him away.

"So sorry about him, he was dropped on his head as a child. Come on, Danny, let's get going before we're late."

"What- But Sam, I haven't asked about the molecular complexities breaking a ghost down to its core attributes yet!" This kid was certainly something. Closing his eyes for a moment and recalling what he had learned of the town so far, Randy held back a sigh. He had remembered reading a few news articles about ghosts and a scientist couple who 'studied' them.

"Then I'm sure you know of the Fentons and they'd be delighted to take your questions," Randy snapped at the teen, quickly getting past him. "For now, though, I have a meeting to get to."

"What- Hey, no, hang on a second!" Not giving the teen a chance, Randy quickly ducked into an alleyway before hopping onto a dumpster and catching his balance on a fire escape, quickly climbing to the top. Teenagers were so meddlesome, honestly. "Sam, come on, that was him!"

"Far as I can remember  _you_ were told to stay out of that mess." Oh? Randy lingered for half a moment more, committing the teen's face to memory. He might cause him some problems if he stayed in Amity Park for too long. He needed to get moving though, every minute lost was a minute his target got farther away from him.

Randy managed to get to the station in time just in time to see Mark lock the door for the night. "Oh, uh, hey there. Can I help you?"

"You can, actually." Randy gave a bit of a strained smile, trying not to let it show at how everything felt  _wrong_. "You see, you're carrying a flash drive on you that I really need to get my hands on. Would you mind tossing it over peacefully?"

Mark's eyes widened slightly and he patted at his pockets, looking down at himself. "A… Flash-" Without even finishing his sentence, he was bolting, causing Randy to curse and try to chase after him.

"A bit dramatic, don't you think?!" Damn was he fast, though. Randy thought he wouldn't be any good in a chase due to all his clumsiness the other day. But out here in the forest, he was nothing like he'd been indoors.

"Kinda stupid, don't you think? Moon's gonna set any minute, then the tables are gonna turn!" Why was everyone so obsessed with the  _moon_?

"I really doubt that! This doesn't have to end badly, you know, I just need that drive and we go our separate ways!" Randy didn't reach for his guns yet, really wanting to solve this peacefully.

"This is finally the one thing we have over you all, like  _hell_  are you hunters getting this information back. Come sunrise, it's gonna be in Novan's hand and we'll have every single one of you pegged!"

"Hey, I'm a freelancer, I don't work for Richards, I was just contracted for a job!" That information must be the dark side of Richards' company, then. "Look, I just need the information back, I don't want to hurt you."

"You're getting this information over my dead body." The two stopped in a clearing of the forest and Mark grinned at him while Randy felt… This felt wrong, something was wrong. "Moon is rising. You know what that means, I smelled it on you the second you came close."

"You- I'm sorry, you  _smelled_ it on me?" Randy raised an eyebrow, hand twitching towards his gun. "What is that supposed to mean, exactly?"

Mark laughed, raising his arms up. "Oh, come on! You can't really play dumb anymore! You know what's coming just as well as I do!"

"Sure I do, but let's try and not have that happen, okay?" Great, Randy was dealing with a crazy person. That was just- Why wasn't he warned about  _this_. "Listen, Mark, I really don't want any trouble, here. I just need that flash drive back. We can work something out, maybe, okay? You really are a nice guy."

"Work something out? That's a laugh. You hunters are all about kill, kill, kill. What is it, are you scared now that we actually have a chance to fight back?"

"Hey, hey, no one said anything about killing." Randy immediately moved his hands away from his guns, holding his palms out peacefully. "I don't know what kind of bounty hunters you've been dealing with, but I don't kill." Never. Never again. "This doesn't have to be a fight."

"...Bounty hunter?" Then the moon rose and the light filtered in through the trees behind Randy. Randy had a second to register that everything in him was  _screaming_  before he saw Mark collapse to the ground.

"Whoa- Hey, are you alright?" It all happened in a second, but also so  _so_  slowly at the same time. Mark's clothes seemed to fade and everything about him changed as fur the color of his hair poked through-  _Fur._  And his shape was changing, and he wasn't human, he  _wasn't human-_

Werewolf.

Everything clicked into place and Randy stumbled over the missing step he had known was there, but couldn't find. Any words he had disappeared as he stared at the massive creature that was pushing himself up, looking at him with glowing eyes and wickedly sharp fangs.

A heartbeat passed and Randy was turning on his heel and running. The beast was after him, he could feel each footfall as it bounded after Randy and he couldn't possibly run from it, he could hear the jaws snapping and growling at him and he was going to get caught. He needed to run, he needed to get out of Amity Park, to hell with the job.

Swearing as he tripped over roots, Randy scrambled to his feet before pulling out and loading a clip between one heartbeat and the next before turning around and lining up a shot. His bullets were all tranquilizers and while they hurt like hell, they'd leave a nasty bruise at the very worst. He wasn't sure it would work on a werewolf, but he was praying it did. The wolf didn't advance, just stared down at him like it was  _waiting for something-_  Oh god.

If he thought Mark had been a big wolf then that was nothing -  _nothing_ \- to what he was staring at now. It was the same as all the fairy tales whispered in the night as warnings. It was the same tale over and over again. They were never the heroes. They were never friends. They were only death.

The Big Bad Wolf had found him. Randy could only drop his guns and turn, scrambling to his feet and running faster than he felt like he'd ever run before. He needed to get away, he needed to- Just- Just until sunrise. That was what all the stories said. He just needed to survive  _just a couple hours._

Randy ran until it felt like his lungs would collapse and then he kept running after that. He didn't stop as he got himself more and more lost in the woods, senses overwhelmed and thoughts scarily silent as he just ran, and ran, and  _ran_ \- Until he wasn't running. He ran until his legs finally gave out and collapsed down a small hill and hit the ground with a thud that had him wheezing out a groan that would have been a scream at any other time. He just barely managed to roll over to try to examine his ankle when he was being pushed down into the ground oh god. Oh god, they caught him. He didn't- He didn't want to die. His mother would be so upset and disappointed and Felicity would probably cry  _please he didn't want to die._

He should have realized that pleading did nothing. He should have realized that this was just something he deserved - he had just been putting it off. Time was up, it looked like. God, but he didn't want- He didn't want it all to end like this, but then pain overwhelmed him and it felt like he was being torn apart and it  _hurt so badly_. His cheeks stung as tears just kept rolling down. He wasn't able to stop it, they just kept coming. He just… More than anything, he wanted to be at home with his mother and father. He missed them so much, and now he was going to die out here, in this foreign land that even now seemed to hate him. At least he was going to get to see the sunrise one last time…

' _Novan, no! He's not a real hunter!_ ' The words bubbled across his mind, thoughts that weren't his that he could barely understand. ' _Richards tricked all of us!_ '

' _He's what? What do you mean he's not a real hunter, he was working for Richards!_ ' These weren't his thoughts.

' _He's just a bounty hunter. He thought we were human- That all of us were just human!_ ' They were… their thoughts?

' _A bounty… Oh. Oh god._ ' ...Novan. It was Novan killing him. Randy realized this just as the sun began to rise and oh… He had made it until the sunrise.

It was a struggle to suck in a breath and Randy prayed his words were understood, "Go on." It hurt. It hurt to speak. It hurt to breathe and speak and  _everything_ hurt. "Finish it."

His eyes closed and when they opened again, they were human, but no, they weren't, but they  _looked_  human. Mark was kneeling down next to him and Novan was standing with his back to Randy… Making a phone call? "-trace my fucking GPS, we need emergency medical out here an hour ago!"

Ah, how cruel. They were going to force him to live after all of this, even. And he thought the monsters in his home county were bad - that was nothing for the monsters that filled this place. Eyes fluttering, he took in Novan's back and Mark's wrecked expression.

Good. Maybe he would die before the ambulance arrived.


	4. Chapter 4

Beeping. That was the first thing Randy really registered. From there it was the smell of cleaning supplies, a sharp cold around his arms and face, and pain that seemed to radiate from all over his body. It didn’t take much effort to realize he was in a hospital and currently strapped up to a few machines and an IV drip, no doubt. What had happened though that had him so bad off he needed all these different machines? Even when he broke a bone or two, it wasn’t normally this bad. Did he puncture a lung? He hated when that happened. God, he would be pissed if he had been pushed off a roof, again.

Right. The room seemed dark, so it was most likely night in whatever room he was in. Did that seem right? Randy vaguely remembered he was on a job, at least, but all his thoughts and memories seemed to be moving as slow as molasses. Right. First he needed to get his eyes open. Carefully, to allow himself to adjust, Randy slowly opened his eyes, but when he caught sight of the man sitting in the chair across from his bed, they flew open wide, and he remembered exactly which job he was last on, and how it had ended.

Novan Hale was slumped in an uncomfortable looking chair with his arms crossed and head tipped back, mouth open in sleep and a pinched, uncomfortable look on his face. Randy didn’t let himself scream like he wanted to and instead carefully looked around the room. He was hooked up to oxygen and an IV bag, his pulse was being monitored, and he didn’t immediately see a call nurse button anywhere. There was a window against the wall, but the blinds and curtains were pulled. The door was closed, as well, which, great. He was fucked. Why the hell was he even allowed in his room when he was the reason he was here to begin with? Why was he  _ asleep _ in his room, anyway? Didn’t he have humans to hunt down and turn into more wolves? Okay, okay, calm down. His pulse was rising and if it got too high he was sure a nurse would get paged. He needed to stay calm and determine all the available information, first.

He was alive, that was for certain. That… could be good. Taking a quick inventory of himself, it didn’t seem like anything was actually broken - although there could have been a sprain or two. There were quite a lot of bandages wrapped around his upper arms, chest, and throat. He didn’t dare try talking, yet, so he wasn’t sure if he still  _ could _ , but he was willing to hold out some hope on that for now.

The room was a bit different than most hospital rooms and Randy hesitantly pegged it as a room in the ICU considering it was single occupancy. That wasn’t good if he woke up and was  _ still  _ in the ICU- Wait. What was the date? Looking over, Randy managed to see a clock and a calendar. The sixth. It was six in the morning on the sixth.

There were a lot of thoughts that crowded Randy’s head, but the loudest and clearest seemed to be the realization that he wouldn’t be making his bus and going to Hawaii for a while. That thought then ended when a yawning nurse pushed the door open and startled as she met his eyes, “Oh, you’re awake!”

That was enough to startle Novan awake, the man leaning forward and rubbing his eyes with a groan. “Heya, Luce.”

“Good morning, Alpha Hale. It seems like the new wolf here is finally awake.” The nurse was bustling over to Randy with so much energy that Randy wondered if he could run if he tried.

“Oh. Hey,” Novan said quietly. Randy tried not to look in his direction, only watching as the nurse checked his clipboard, wrote a few things down, and then began checking whatever he was hooked up to.

“Okay, sweetie, looks like you’ll be just fine if we take that tube out of your throat. Have you ever been through this before?” Glancing to the nurse, Randy finally gave a nod. Intubation wasn’t his favorite, but he had been through it before.

“Damn, already?” he heard Novan ask. “One of the fastest yet.” What was that supposed to mean? Feeling the nurse’s hands on him, Randy let her move him as she needed.

“Alright, dear, you know how it goes, but just in case let me go over it again. We’re going to be working this out of your throat and I need you to stay as relaxed and calm as possible, okay? If something feels wrong, just tap me on the arm twice and I’ll stop and we’ll do our best to get you better. Understand?” Randy tapped twice on her arm and gave a thumbs up. She smiled at him and nodded. “Perfect. Alright, I’ll start it on three. One… Two… Three.” She started to help get the tube out of his throat and god did he hate that feeling. But more did he hate them stopping in the middle because he was freaking out, so he needed to just stay calm, just until they took this thing out.

It felt like it took an eternity until he was coughing up a storm when the last of it came out, hand flying up to his throat and  _ fucking hell _ \- “Deep breaths, deep breaths, you’ll be better soon.” The nurse rubbed little circles into his back, encouraging him to straighten up to keep his windpipe clear. It took a bit of a struggle, but Randy finally got his breathing under control, the nurse beaming. “There we are! The first one I haven’t had to sedate after taking that nasty tube out.”

Randy glanced to Novan and Novan wasn’t looking at him, but he was holding his hand out- What the fuck, why was the nurse handing over his very personal, very  _ private _ medical records to the one that had him here in the first place? Randy opened his mouth to ask and immediately had a spoonful of ice chips melting on his tongue instead.

“He’s doing rather well considering the condition he was in when you dragged him in here,” the nurse - Luce? - chatted, smiling at Randy as she fed him another spoonful of ice chips. “Scarring should be limited and it seems as if he’ll be talking again in no time. I bet you’re quite the talker, dear, aren’t you?” His mouth opened and, once again, more ice.

Novan gave a hollow laugh, “Yeah, he is…” Novan looked through the clipboard, flipping through the pages. “Damn, yeah, healing’s kicked in alright.” Healing? What exactly did that mean? He always healed fast.

“He was quite receptive to it all… I’ve never seen the change happen this quickly in someone.” Change? Randy didn’t like the sound of change. “Alright, dear, I’m going to get you another dose of pain medication and then we’ll start weaning you off of it when you wake up again.” Randy gave her another nod, for slight fear that opening his mouth would just get more ice shoveled into him again. The nurse adjusted a couple things on all the different devices then gently took the clipboard from Novan, placing it back in its holder. “I’ll be back in just a bit.”

Novan’s words were a lot more mumbled than before and Randy was vaguely aware that it was because he was already falling back asleep. Hopefully when he next woke up he’d get some answers as to why the man who had tried to kill him was in his room. He thought he was about to drift off when the sound of the door slamming open had him jerking up and  _ who the hell- _

“You know, I heard it, but I couldn’t possibly believe it. You wouldn’t, you’re not  _ that _ stupid, but apparently you are!” Oh, Andrew never did like when he got hurt, guess he never grew out of… He was talking to Novan. “Not only did you ruin yet  _ another _ life, but you dragged one of my best friends into all of this, now!”

“As far as I know, you gave up your right to have a say in matters like these.” Novan’s voice was quiet, but something about the words must have been painful because Andrew looked like he had just been slapped. “And what the hell do you mean best friend?”

“You know exactly what I mean,” Andrew spat at him. “I certainly do have a say in this seeing as he’s  _ half witch. _ ”

“I’m what?” Randy winced at not only the pain from his throat, but how cracked the words sounded.

Andrew startled and looked back to Randy. He frowned, glancing back to Novan. “You’re… Half witch? Your mother was a witch?”

Looking between Andrew and Novan, Randy slipped into French, “ _ Little one, I really need you to tell me that this is a really bad joke because I’m still trying to come to terms with the fact I was just attacked by werewolves. Please tell me you’re calling Mama that because you’re insulting her. _ ”

Andrew shuffled a bit, looking down at the ground. “ _ I… thought that you knew. You were looking at those herbs and crystals… _ ”

“ _ I- No- I use herbs for my tranquilizer bullets when I’m a bounty hunter like Father! I just buy the crystals because they feel like lucky charms, is all- This isn’t real _ .” Switching back to English, Randy looked to Novan. “This isn’t real, right? Something happened and my memories are just a construct of my trauma, yes?”

“You’re a- A  _ bounty hunter? _ ” Now Andrew was the one looking like he couldn’t believe what he was being told. But… But no, he wasn’t the one that had just accidentally tripped into another world where he  _ didn’t belong. _

“What else would I be?! Everyone in this town seems to think I’m some kind of murderer, but I’m just- Do you lot even know what bounty hunters do? We search for people with warrants and bring them into the police station. Sometimes we’re contracted for other jobs, but we are always working inside the law or alongside them. I did  _ nothing wrong _ .” He did nothing wrong so  _ why had this happened _ ?

“That’s  _ your _ kind of hunter,” Novan told him. “ _ Our _ kind of hunter is someone who literally hunts us down to death. The only thing we do wrong is exist.”

Richards. Forty to rough him up and even more to kill Mark.  _ Richards _ . “Mon petit,” Randy said softly. “May I see your phone?”

“My- Oh, uh…” Andrew pat himself down for a moment, looking all over himself before finally pulling his phone out of one of his pockets and handing it over to Randy.

It hurt like  _ hell  _ to sit up and move his arms, and Randy knew he was shaking, but he pushed it aside as he took the phone, already unlocked, and quickly dialed up the number that had started all of this. “ _ Jacob Richards, how can I help- _ ”

“Bonjour, Monsieur Richards!” Randy was too emotional. He knew he was too emotional for this. “I do so hope you happen to remember me and our meeting a few days ago.”

“ _ Still alive! You surprise me mutt, alright then, I’ll assume you’re still in Amity Park, we’ll have one of ours over soon to take care of you, don’t worry. _ ”

“Ha ha, well, it is rather difficult to kill me, so feel free to send your best!” Randy had always been too clever, his father had told him. The pieces lined up. Hunters killed those in this world and all the fairy tales said Randy would ‘change.’ He wouldn’t, but Richards believed so. He was sending someone to kill him. “I’ll be sure to greet them oh so kindly, but not as much I will you… Tell me, what do you know of my family?”

“ _ Beaumonts? You’re not that rough and tough, trust me, I’ve met families that are actually something to worry about. Now, this conversation is over. _ ” Before Randy could say anything else, he was hung up on.

Andrew slowly sat down on the bed beside Randy. “Are you okay?” Randy could feel his shoulders shaking as he stared down at Andrew’s phone.

“No, mon petit, I am afraid not.” There was no ‘American’ accent in his words. Why bother hiding anything at this point? “That fool doesn’t comprehend who we are.”

“Is it alright if I stay with you awhile?” Oh, poor sweet Andrew… He did adore him, though.

“Of course you can, mon petit,” Randy smiled, handing the phone back to him and feeling sleep tugging him down. “I’m afraid I would be rather poor company, however.”

“I think you’re wonderful,” Andrew told him with a grin.

There was a quiet scoff from Novan. “Hang on, this is  _ that _ Randy?”

“‘That’ Randy?” Randy raised an eyebrow, grinning a little as he looked back to Andrew. “You talked about me?”

Andrew smiled at him. “Of course I did. How could I not? I missed you. You were the only friend I had, when I moved.”

“That’s because you spent more time with your books than any other,” Randy chuckled, anger quickly draining out of him as he collapsed back against the bed. It was like he could almost feel Novan’s displeasure, but Randy quickly brushed it off. It wasn’t his problem. “You know, I rather thought I was done with waking up in hospitals.”

“You make it sound like a common occurrence.” Ah, well. Oh, look at that, he was very tired, now. That medicine must have been doing its job. “Oh, you haven’t changed a bit…” Well, that was nice, at least. Hopefully Andrew would still be there when he woke up. Even better, maybe this could all be shoved away as nothing more than a nightmare.

Randy wasn’t sure how long it was, but it seemed he came in and out of consciousness for the next day or two, at least. Besides his initial waking, he seemed beyond exhausted to where he could barely keep his eyes open. He at least felt more rested when he opened his eyes to see Mark in his room and oh, dear, this wasn’t going to be good, was it? “Jeez, how do you even say something like ‘hey, sorry you almost died, but I mean… Sorry?’ Ah, fuck, this is so fucking-!”

“No, no, sorry you almost died is on the right track.” Randy couldn’t stop his laugh when Mark jerked around and looked startled out of his wits. “My visitor list is growing, it seems.”

“Oh, jeez… I didn’t think you’d- I thought I’d have more time- I really am sorry for all of this.”

“Just a bit of bad luck,” Randy smiled weakly. “And a lot of misunderstanding on my end, not yours.”

Mark shook his head. “No, no trust me- I was just so sure- I mean, you smelled like one of us, so I just assumed that… That you  _ were _ one of us.”

“One of… A werewolf?” Randy frowned, slowly shaking his head and no. No, that part didn’t line up. “I don’t know what you mean when you say I smelled like one of you.”

“It… Well, it’s just like it sounds. Most people have a certain kind of smell to them, you know? Most wolves all smell the same, ghosts smell similar, that kind of thing, you know?”

“That still doesn’t explain why you would get that smell off of- Hang on.” Randy thought over the words, expression scrunching up. “Ghosts… are real, too?”

He watched Mark raise an eyebrow at him. “...Yeah? You haven’t seen one of the fights around town, yet?”

“There are ghost  _ fights _ ?” Right. Werewolves, witches, and ghosts. Oh my? “I can’t say I’ve had the pleasure.”

“Oh, yeah. Typically it’s Phantom- This… teen kid ghost. They really like to go after him.”

“Okay. So, there’s a teenage ghost that goes around fighting other ghosts in a town that is inhabited by werewolves and witches.” Randy could almost feel the panic that wanted to shut him down. “Alright.”

Mark watched him before setting down a small paper on his night stand. “Hey. Believe it or not, I’ve been through this same crap.”

“I’d say I find that hard to believe, but I think I’m willing to put a bit of faith in anything, these days,” Randy said quietly, looking to the paper. “What’s that, then?”

“It’s my number. In case… You know. If you want any help with any of this.” Quiet for a moment, Randy groaned as he collapsed back against his pillows, ignoring the spike of pain.

“Why did you have to be so  _ nice _ . I would have felt far less guilty if you were at least a little bit of an asshole.”

He watched Mark look around the room for a minute. “Uh… Sorry? I mean… I can try to be a dick? I guess?”

“It’s okay,” Randy laughed, the first real laugh since this whole  _ mess  _ had started. “Thank you, though. And if you really need to place the blame on someone, place it on Richards, yeah? I take it you had a pretty good reason as to why you stole whatever information is on that flash drive?”

“Yeah. We got pictures of their hunters, names, aliases, loadouts, everything we need to keep ourselves safe from them when they come knocking around. Because it’s not if, with Richards.”

“I think I caught on to that much,” Randy mused, chewing on the inside of his cheek for a moment. “He’s dangerous.”

Mark nodded. “Well, yeah. He’s been trying to hunt Novan down ever since he took over the pack.”

“He's been at this a lot longer than that.” Randy needed to call his father and get more information.

“Well yeah, I’m just talking about Novan specifically.”

“Didn't he try before Novan? Or did Novan specifically do something to get his attention?”

Mark shrugged. “I think he tried with Novan’s old man, but… Well, I wasn’t really in all this before Novan took over. I don’t know much about it.”

“Right.” Richards had been the reason behind all of this, then, and he had probably been putting Randy up to some sort of test. Did he assume Randy knew about this world? Had he thought Randy was a  _ different  _ kind of hunter? Had he thought Randy was  _ his _ kind of hunter? More jobs, more jobs… He wanted him to kill Mark- “He wanted to bring me in as one of his hunters.”

“Really? I thought you didn’t know anything about this world-”

“I don’t,” Randy cut Mark off, shaking his head. “But he  _ thought  _ I did. Everything was so vague and ambiguous I didn’t even think- I always felt like I was missing a step, but I didn’t expect this, you know?”

Mark nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, I get it. Jeez. At least most people know I didn’t know shit about this.”

“Sounds like we’re going to get along great,” Randy snorted, rubbing at his eyes and giving a quiet sigh. “Hey, do you know why Novan’s been sticking around?”

“Well… When you get bitten, you turn. That’s all there is to it. Even if he wasn’t involved, whenever there’s a new wolf, Novan always tries to be the first to greet them.”

“I’m not a wolf, though. I can understand him feeling guilty, but it’s unprofessional that they even let him in here, let alone let him see my medical records.”

He watched Mark shrug. “But… You are. That’s the whole thing about being Alpha.”

“Alpha?” Randy frowned, shaking his head. “That sounds like a bad story trope, if you ask me. You do know wolves run in family units, yes?”

“Well, yeah. Novan said you saw the pack land. Like… One big family.”

“So then there really shouldn’t be an alpha, in that case. Alphas are only seen in wolves who were removed from their original territory, last I was aware.”

“What? No, no, Alpha is the head of the pack. Makes sure everyone’s taken care of, protects everyone, keeps them together, that kind of thing.”

“Oh.” Made sense. “That still doesn’t explain why he’s here, though, as I’m not a wolf.” At the look, Randy waved his hand. “No, no, I’m not- I don’t feel any different. Besides the pain I’m in, I feel the exact same.”

Mark thought about it before shrugging. “Were you half wolf before? That would explain the smell.”

“I think I would have known about all of this if I was half wolf.”

“Not all of them do.” Randy’s eyelids started to droop. “I’ll get out of your hair.”

“Thanks for visiting,” Randy managed, yawning as he relaxed back against the bed. “And for everything else.”

“Yeah. Yeah, no problem.” He needed to really get some sleep. Maybe when he woke up he would finally be ready to leave this place.

It didn’t take much longer for them to finally discharge Randy. He was surprised his wallet, phone, and guns were all still intact, but he certainly wasn’t about to argue. “There you go, and we’ve got you some new clothes as well, and Alpha Hale is waiting for you at the pack grounds.”

“The pack grounds?” Randy frowned as he paused in checking over his things. Just what did they mean by ‘the pack grounds?’

“Oh, well sure. The campgrounds most of the pack lives on, up on the north side of town? You can’t miss it. He’s there, waiting to officially make you part of the pack.”

“Oh, of course! Thank you for reminding me.” Randy’s instincts screamed and clawed inside of him, but he kept his smile on as he accepted the clothes and left to quickly change. It would take him twenty or so minutes to finish up all the discharge forms, get any medicines he needed, and then within the hour he could be on a bus out of this godforsaken town. This town… He didn’t like it, these were feelings he hadn’t felt since… He needed to go. Now.


	5. Chapter 5

Within the hour of his discharge from the hospital, Randy was at his motel door and carefully picking the lock while trying not to ruin it for future use. His keys had long since been lost and who knew how many eyes Novan had in this town, so breaking into his motel room for his things was just about the only thing he could do, at the moment. He needed to… Fuck, he was running short on cash, he  _ really _ needed to get Richards and get something off of him. Just… They all thought he was some bloodlusting werewolf, now? Just because Novan ‘bit’ him. And Andrew… Andrew had said his  _ mother _ was a… Well. If this was meant to be his world, he needed to learn more about it.

He could leave later, but for now he would at least give himself a day to figure all of this out and come up with a plan. He needed to try and figure out how all of this would affect him and if what Andrew had said about his mother was true. For now, though, he could scope out the town and see what he could learn. Okay okay okay… He needed one of his disguises. What did he need… He needed someone that could blend into a crowd, Dustin was too bravado for that.

Right, okay, he needed someone who could blend into a crowd, could be friendly, and was charming enough to slip out of any suspicion. Ah, but that left Nick, then, didn’t it? Randy didn’t often lean into his personality that had evolved from his upbringing, but a ditzy, friendly little upperclass college student might be just what was needed for now. 

Making his way to the sink, he used the black temporary dye and slicked his hair back, buttoning up his coat until he looked properly pompous. God, did he hate this sometimes. But it was what was needed, and right now, he needed to figure out as much as possible- Oh, his phone. Who was phoning him? Pulling it out, Randy blinked at seeing the number he had saved only a few days ago.

“I suppose you heard that I was discharged, then?” Randy asked as soon as he answered, smiling a little. Andrew had made things tolerable, at least.

“ _ Randy! I had- Or well, I had hoped at least- You have been, right? _ ”

“You might have to explain that one, mon petit. What have I done?”

“ _ Been… Discharged? From the hospital? _ ”

“Oh- Yes, I have. I’m back at my motel room, right now. Thankfully I had it rented for the full week.” He probably shouldn’t have told Andrew where he was, but Andrew didn’t seem like he’d even talk to Novan on a good day. He probably didn’t need to worry.

“ _ Oh- Oh good! I was wondering- Well, more hoping, really. You had mentioned coffee and I know it’s not the fifth anymore, but it has been a while since we’ve really talked- _ ”

“No, no, coffee sounds good.” It would be a good way to get information on the town and still enjoy himself, at least. “Do you want me to meet you at the address you texted me?”

“ _ Um… Yes! Yes, that sounds perfect. How does three sound? _ ”

“Still so nervous after all this time,” Randy said quietly, trying not to laugh. “Three sounds wonderful, mon petit.”

“ _ Great! Perfect! I’ll meet you there! _ ” The call ended and Randy shook his head even as he laughed. Andrew was still so  _ flighty _ . Randy had missed it. Until three, though, he had time to try to piece this town together.

It was only twenty minutes into his walk around town, though, before he noticed just how supernatural the place really was. Maybe they had done something to him in the hospital, but now that he was looking, it was like Amity Park wasn’t even  _ trying  _ to hide what they were. He swore that that was a selkie with her coat walking by and did that girl have  _ wings _ was that a  _ fairy- _ Goodness this may take some time to get used to. Were most cities like this?

Randy had been travelling around America for years and he had never seen anything like this, before. Had he just not noticed it? Or had he not wanted to acknowledge it? What if he had seen all of this and he just had denied it all, or passed it off as something normal? What if Andrew was right… What if  _ Mark _ was right?

No. No, no, no, he’d know if he was something other than human. His mother would have told him, if nothing else. Ri… Right?  _ ‘Please, leave Amity Park before the evening of the fourth.’ _ She… The evening of the fourth. The full moon.

No. Randy had never had problems with the full moon or anything wolfish before. He had always been completely human and he had never felt any different - even now! He was just overthinking things. He needed to just do some reconnaissance, rendezvous with Andrew, get revenge on Richards, and get out.

The reconnaissance didn’t show much more than just the average everyday lives of people, but it was the edges of the supernatural that had Randy on edge all the way to the coffee shop when three o’clock hit. Randy stepped inside the shop, and immediately had to check the address because there was no possible way this was right. This… This was far too dark and dreary for his sweet Andrew. He couldn’t… No. “Randy! You made it!”

“Oh, uh, yes… Are we in the right place?” Had Andrew changed that much? He was so sweet, though!

Andrew looked to grimace. “I know, I know what you’re thinking, but… If it hadn’t been for an acquaintance of mine, I really wouldn’t have stepped foot in here on my own, but their coffee is surprisingly good, and they have great literature!”

“That’s very reassuring to hear.” Randy wasn’t ashamed to admit he gave a sigh of relief, bumping his shoulder against Andrew’s. “Have you ordered, yet?”

“I have, yes,” Andrew told him. “Don’t worry about me.”

“Go ahead and find us a seat, then, and you can tell me how on earth this place has ‘great literature.’” Andrew chuckled quietly and nodded, making his way to the tables as Randy stood in line to order his own coffee.

When the cashier asked for his order, Randy asked for a simple black coffee as he looked around. The place was dismal and gloomy as could be, but there were quite a lot of books to show it was a bookstore, as well. That part, at least, was something that certainly appealed to Andrew. It didn’t take long for his coffee, and he joined Andrew at the small table he’d chosen. “I like this seat the best. They typically will let me read some of the books here while I drink a coffee and write down… A few notes.”

“Oh, are you still writing?” Randy grinned, looking pleased. “Good. You were always one of the best.”

“Oh, well… I wouldn’t say that,” Andrew told him with a smile, even as he looked away and tapped at the table.

“Thankfully I’m here to say otherwise.” Randy’s smile dropped into something a bit softer as he stared at Andrew. “How have you been?”

“I’ve been… Well, I’ve been surviving,” he told Randy, giving him a weak smile.

“That bad, huh?” Randy supposed he couldn’t be too surprised. Andrew had always had a hard time with things. “So… you’re a witch, then?”

Andrew nodded. “I am.”

“Any chance that you were just lying about Mama being the same?”

“Randy… What reason would I have to lie?”

“You wouldn’t,” Randy sighed, rubbing at his face and almost knocking his own glasses off. “I was just hoping, I suppose.”

Andrew bit at his lip, looking away from Randy. “I’m sorry.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for.” Randy took a sip of his coffee, thinking over what he wanted to say. “No part of this could ever be your fault, Andy.”

“Well- Well, sure, but I’m sure you didn’t want to get dragged into any of this.”

“Bad things happen, sometimes.” Randy looked down at his cup, toying with it for a few moments. “There’s nothing I can do to change the past.”

Andrew watched him, still not meeting his eyes. “What are your plans now?”

“Well, I had originally planned to take it easy and perhaps go on vacation for a while, but that might not be happening, anymore.” There was still that hunter Richards was sending after him, after all.

“Are you… planning on staying?” Hm. Hopeful. He sounded hopeful. It wouldn’t hurt for another day or two, maybe.

“A few days at the most, maybe, I think. Why?”

He smiled, giving a bit of a shrug and finally looking at Randy. “I just… I think it would be nice, is all.”

“It would be nice to catch up again.” It had been so long since he had even talked to Andrew. “Right, then. Any other places in Amity Park you want to show me?”

“I- I actually have something for you. At my apartment. If you’re not too busy, that is,” he said with a nervous grin.

“Trust me, I’m not busy,” Randy laughed, standing up and giving Andrew a smile. “You don’t need to be so nervous, you know. I’m still me.”

Andrew gave a shake of his head. “Sorry, sorry. I’m not exactly… The best people person…”

“It’s okay,” Randy said quietly, taking Andrew’s hand and gently pulling him to stand. “You never were.”

“Oh, um, thank you?” Randy couldn’t stop his laughter at Andrew’s words as he tugged him away from the table.

“Come on, mon petit, lead the way.”

“Alright, alright,” Andrew said with a small laugh himself, pulling Randy along. “I missed this.”

“You weren’t the only one.” For a moment, Randy could pretend that his world hadn’t been cracked apart and torn to pieces. He could just pretend that everything was like it once had been.

The apartment complex Andrew led him to was fairly modest, not that his friend let him admire the view much. He was dragged up two flights of steps and in front of a door. Andrew stood there a moment, smile gone as he pulled out his keys. “I really am sorry. About all of this.”

“As I keep saying, mon petit, you have nothing to be sorry for.” Something was wrong. Instincts were itching at Randy to move - to  _ leave _ , but… This was Andrew. “None of it was or is your fault.” Andrew didn't say anything, he just unlocked the door of his apartment and pushed it open.

“Are you happy,” he near snarled into the room, eyes narrowed and sharp. “Now that you've gotten me to do your dirty work.”

“It’s necessary and you know it.” Ah… and there sat the ‘Alpha’ of Amity Park. Forcing himself to walk into the room and stay calm, Randy gently ruffled Andrew’s hair.

“That’s why you were so nervous, then.” Of course Randy would never suspect his childhood friend to betray him. Clever, the two of them. Randy didn’t like clever. Andrew swatted him away, shaking his head.

“No, I-”

“You weren’t at the pack grounds.” Novan spoke over Andrew easily, Randy humming and meeting Novan’s gaze before tilting his head.

“I wasn’t aware you had complete authority over someone you don’t even know.”

“Randy, just please, listen, I know that you-”

“Excuse me.” Novan was glaring, now, and Randy could tell right now that this was all about to end very poorly for everyone. 

“Was I not clear? I’m not a citizen of Amity Park and even if I was there’s this matter of free will that I seem to be in possession of.”

“You might think you're some big shot, but this is  _ my _ land, and you play by  _ our _ rules now, pup. Our laws state-”

“I play by no rules,” Randy hissed, feeling everything in his bristle. “Your laws may be your own, but I am not one of your fucking  _ wolves _ . Even if I were to be changed, which I  _ will not _ be-”

“Is no one going to listen to me in my own damn house?!” That… That angered shout hadn't come from Novan, but… Andrew never used to have such a temper. He also never used to betray him. “Randy, can I have a word with you?”

As much as Randy wanted to say no and walk out the front door, he sighed and nodded before following Andrew into the kitchen. He knew himself well enough to know he might have done the same if their situations were reversed, “I take it you have more than one word?”

“I know that you really don't want to believe it, and trust me, I hate that I have to say it, but Novan is right. You're a wolf.”

“You too?” Randy felt nothing but exhaustion, this time. “I think I would feel different if I was suddenly a werewolf, Andy.”

“Would you? Randy, you were in the hospital a few days, a majority of that time spent unconscious, and what with your mother…” Andrew leaned against the kitchen counter. “It's true.”

“Show me proof, then.” Randy crossed his arms, not willing to believe it unless there was  _ proof _ . “Prove to me I’m a werewolf.”

Andrew looked startled before he straightened up with his own arms crossed. “You want proof beyond a shadow of a doubt. Nothing short of a brick wall to the face will move you.”

“Then find me a brick wall.”  Because Randy would not accept this.

“The full moon.” …What? “You stay in Amity Park  _ at least _ through the next full moon. You change, you're a wolf. You don't, you're human.”

“You want me to stay in Amity Park for an entire month?” That… was longer than he was comfortable with.

“You want a brick wall. And say you are a wolf. It's safer for you to stay here in Amity Park where there's a strong pack and an alpha willing to help you, rather than in just over three weeks you're vacationing in Tahiti and you suddenly shift.”

“I forgot how much of a brat you were,” Randy groaned, already feeling exhausted. “Fine. If this is the only way to get you two to see the truth, then I’ll stay until full moon.”

Andrew nodded. “I wasn't lying. I do have a thing or two to give you. Other than a piece of my mind, that is.”

“If anyone should be giving out pieces of their mind I think it should be me,” Randy complained, glancing behind him for a moment. “Why is he here?”

“He coerced me, blackmailed me, forced my hand, whatever you'd prefer to use. By law, you're his responsibility-”

“And he can hear you just fine.”

“Oh, really?” Turning to Novan, Randy stared him down, meeting his eyes without hesitation. “As I said, your laws are not mine.”

“Maybe they weren't before, but they are now.” Novan's eyes narrowed at him before he smirked. “Are you trying to impress him-”

“Novan, I swear to god, I  _ will _ ward the place against you again. Do you think now is the best time to test my patience?”

Before Novan could respond, Randy was narrowing his eyes and speaking first, “Blackmail.” He did not like that. “Andrew, you said  _ blackmail _ .”

Andrew was quiet for a moment and even Novan looked away. “It's not important,” the youngest murmured.

Randy forcibly calmed himself, although it seemed harder than it would be in other cases. He was willing to be that was because this was dealing with an old childhood friend. “Right. I’ll agree to stay in Amity Park until full moon under the condition that you, ‘Alpha,’ leave me alone. When I remain human, I leave this town with no comment or plea to stay. Understood?”

“If you're somehow still human, then you have nothing tying you here,” Novan agreed with a nod.

“Perfect.” Randy turned to Andrew, completely ignoring Novan as best he could. “You said you had a few things you wanted to give me, mon petit?” Andrew startled a moment before nodding.

“Two potions. Of course I need to  _ brew _ them first and that may take a short time, but if you'd be willing to wait-”

“Potions?” Randy frowned a little at that. “What would I need potions for?”

Andrew slowly smiled at Randy, taking his hand and pulling him through the living to- Oh hell that was a real cauldron. “Well, one of them is a Calming Potion, I like to put it in my coffee in the mornings, it really soothes the nerves. The other is an Aconite potion, which will help you with the transformation, or, if you’re human, do absolutely nothing.”

“Aconite.” Randy stared at Andrew, eyes slowly narrowing. “Wolfsbane.”

He watched Andrew give that confused little frown he always used to- “Oh! Oh- Oh no! Those were just tales, it’s not actually toxic to wolves. Aconite potion, made with Wolfsbane, actually will make the transformation completely painless.”

“Is the transformation otherwise not?” He knew that most of the stories made being a werewolf sound like a curse, but that thought seemed… wrong.

He shrugged. “I wouldn’t know.” Not right, there was a bitter tone there.

“For some,” Novan answered. “Part of it depends on how in tune with your wolf you are.”

“Which a new wolf wouldn’t be,” Randy sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Will this have any effects on the average human if I were to take it?”

“None at all. But you only take it the day of a full moon, at least an hour before sundown.” Andrew was smiling again at him, though. “You could… watch me make the potions, if you like.”

“That… sounds nice, actually.” This way he would know what was going into the potion, too. Andrew gave him a nod- Oh, Vidya was up on the table. Was that safe? 

“No, the calming one, first.” Was he… talking to himself? Or was it worse?

“Andy… Are you talking to Vidya?”

Andrew chuckled as he spread out his ingredients. “Of course I am, who else would I be speaking to?”

“Someone who isn’t a cat,” Randy suggested, looking to Vidya. “Although I’m willing to believe she can understand everything we’re saying even if she can’t talk back. She was always too clever.” He was still bitter over that cookie jar incident.

“...Heh. Right…” That was his hiding something nervous laugh and chuckle. What could he be… Vidya, who didn’t seem to age a day, was too clever by half, and had bright violet eyes, who always followed after him with-

“Oh.” The little stories his mother had always whispered to him along with the songs she taught him to play. Stories about werewolves and witches and everything in between. Tales about black cats and witches’ familiars and oh.  _ Oh _ . Ha. Right. It was all real. This was all  _ real _ . Andrew stared at him before waving a hand over his potion- Oh. It had been boiling but it just… Stopped. Like it was frozen in time. Randy felt himself being pushed until his knees hit the back of something- Couch. Andrew had him on a couch.

“Here, I’ll make you a cup- This is going to have calming potion in it, though so long as you haven’t developed any new allergies, you shouldn’t be allergic to it at all.”

“Oh, ah, no, no new allergies,” Randy finally mumbled, trying to get his heart to work properly and not give out early because everything magic seemed to be  _ real _ . “Still just silver.”

He did notice Andrew and Novan exchanging glances, though only a moment later, a cup was pushed into his hands- “Mother’s tea always calmed you down.”

“I have a feeling there’s a reason for that,” Randy mumbled, sniffing at the tea and frowning for a moment. “White sage, lavender, and periwinkle?”

Andrew smiled. “And a few other things, but yes, those are included.” Randy stared at the tea for another moment, wondering if he should try and make one of them try it first. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Andrew, but he had been betrayed less than twenty minutes ago. “Is… it alright? I can make you a cup without the potion if you’d like- I should have asked you to begin with, I shouldn’t have just assumed-”

“It’s fine, mon petit.” Randy managed a smile before sipping at the tea, tension starting to drain out of him as soon as it touched his tongue. “I think it’s better I drink it than refuse it, at this point in time.” Ah, his speech patterns was fluctuating too much. He didn’t like that.

“Oh- oui, oui, désolé.” Oh. He hadn’t heard native French from anyone except his mother in a long time. Glancing to Novan for a heartbeat, Randy looked back to Andrew.

“ _ If I end up crying before he leaves I will be very displeased, little one. _ ” Because it really had been  _ so long _ since he had heard his native language.

“ _ Right, right, sorry. I should- I should just- I’ll leave you alone. _ ” What had happened to his sweet little kitten?

Randy looked to Novan, who was on the other end of the couch. Randy knew if it wasn’t for the tea, he probably would have been hit with the full force of his memories. “So, what was that about Richards sending someone with more of a spine?”

Novan looked him over, raising an eyebrow. “Well, you couldn’t do it, could you?”

“I like to avoid conflict where possible.” It would be so easy to just reach over and do  _ something _ . Maybe shove him off the couch and hope he hit his head against the table on the way down.

“ _ You? _ Really?” He scoffed, almost seeming to be laughing. He knew how to laugh?

“And what is that supposed to mean?”

“You just  _ definitely _ are not the type.”

“Yeah, well,” Randy slumped down in his seat, rubbing at his eyes and god, this day was getting to be far too much. “I don’t have the best luck in life, let’s just put it like that.” Andrew was silent as his potion bubbled away. His  _ potion. _ Fuck, what was his life, right now?

There was a quiet meow and Randy looked to where Vidya was now looking at him from the armrest of the couch. “If you’re about to talk, I think it would be best if you wait.” She only gave another meow and padded her way down and into his lap, rubbing her head against his chest. “You, my dear, were always far too sweet to me.” The purring bundle of fur was very helpful.

“Jeez, Vid, you were never that friendly with me.” There was blessed silence from Vidya that reassured Randy more than anything else, but he somehow had a feeling that he only wasn’t hearing her because she felt pity. He was okay with that, right now. “Aw, come on, you know I’d never say no.”

Randy was about to complain how his life had been normal, before this town, but, really… He was a disgraced bounty hunter running away from home. Normal hadn’t been in the cards for him for a long time. Vidya was now up on his shoulders, resting while her tail twitched here and there. It was… Nice. Comforting. “You’re  _ that _ Randy.”

“‘That’ Randy?” Randy frowned, looking back to Novan. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Novan,” Andrew said with a warning tone that Novan completely ignored.

Novan snickered “I mean that Randy he wouldn’t shut up about ever since he moved here.”

“You talked about me enough that he knows who I am  _ now _ ?” Andrew had moved away long over a decade ago. That… was sweet.

“Of course he did. This little brat was running all around everyone, still learning how to speak English, and almost every word that  _ was _ in English was about his best friend he left in France.”

“Aw, and here Felicity will be upset since she thought  _ she  _ was your best friend,” Randy snickered. He loved his baby sister, really, he did, but it was always satisfying to have proof that he was the favorite.

That did have Andrew coming back out of his shell again a little. “She’s three years younger than me, and far too…  _ Extravagant, _ ” he decided lightly.

“Really? I would just say brat,” Randy laughed, shaking his head. “Didn’t she used to always try and hide your books when you were over?”

Andrew groaned. “ _ Yes. _ She thought I wasn’t social enough, and that I cared about books more than friends.”

“At least she was trying to help in her own roundabout way.” Randy gently scratched behind Vidya’s right ear, remembering she used to favor that spot. And it seemed she still did, as it had her purring and leaning her weight completely against him. “Still such a sweetheart.” Maybe this ‘new world’ wouldn’t be so bad.

“Speaking of sweethearts, how  _ is _ Arpeggio?” Ah, right. His mother’s cat who was most likely her familiar. Mm.

Randy took it back. This was going to be the longest month of his life.


End file.
